Hydraulic compress with double-acting ram.



S. J. WEBB. HYDRAULIC GOMPRESS WITH DOUBLE ACTING RAM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11, 1901.

Patented July 4, 1911.

coLUMmA ILANOORAIII 60.. WASHINGTON, I). c

SAMUEL J. WEBB, 0F MINDEN, LDUISIANA.

HYDRAULIC COMPRESS WITH DOUBLE-ACTING RAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11, 1901.

Patented July 4, 1911. Serial No. 55,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. WEBB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minden, in the parish of Webster and State of Louisiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HydraulicCompresses with Double-Acting Rams, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to high pressure hydraulic presses, such forinstance as are adapted for compressing bales of cotton and othermaterial, which involve generally speaking a hydraulic compressing pressand a double-acting hydraulic ram connected to operate the hydraulicpress, and the object of the invention is to provide improved means ofthis general character, and the invention consists in the variousfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts, having the generalmode of operation, substantially as hereinafter more particularly setfort Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view ofa press and ram embodying my invention, parts of the press and ram beingshown in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of one of thevalves.

The apparatus as a whole comprises the press A, the hydraulic ram orpump B, and the operating engine 0 of the pump, the pump or ramreceiving its water from a tank D, or from any other suitable source,and delivering the same to the cylinder or cylinders of the press A. Theengine C may be of any suitable character, but as shown it is a steamengine with a cylinder 1 having detachable heads 2 and 3, a piston 4 andpiston rod 5, which piston rod is continued to form the rod connectedwith the piston 6 of the ram B.

A construction which is most effective consists inanaking the cylinder 7of the cam B with the inner head 8 in one piece with the body of thecylinder, the outer head 9 only being detachable, andintegral with thehead 2 of the engine C is a circular bracket or support 10 which isbolted to theend 8 of the ram cylinder 7. By this means, theccylinder ofthe engine and of the ram are maintained in accurate alinement with eachother and ready access may be had to the respective packing boxeswithout disturbing the other parts.

In order to avoid shocks or strains I provide means for butting orreducing the shock as the piston 4t approaches each end of the derthrough suitable cylinder, the same consisting in providing the pistonrod 5 with a small subsidiary block or piston 12 at each side of themain piston 4, said piston being adapted to sockets or chambers m, withwhich communicate the ports of the engine, to and from which steam flowsunder the action of the valves 15, 16. As the piston 4 approaches eitherend of the cylinder, the piston 12 gradually closes the adjacent chamberm which is preferably slightly larger than the piston, and as the steamis compressed in the said chamber and flows gradually therefrom, it actsas a buffer to prevent shock. Whenever it is necessary, however, tostart the piston in the opposite direction, the steam flows into thechamber m in the first instance so t t the piston 12 will pass readilytherefrom.

The valves 15, 16 may be of any suitable construction, and as shown,they are operated by levers 18 connected together and to a rod 19 whichextends to the hand lever upon the press.

The pump of ram B may be of any usual or suitable construction with oneor more cylinders when desired, but as shown, consists, as beforestated, of a single cylinder and piston, but with inlet and dischargeports at the opposite ends so that the water may flow from the tank orother source of supply D into either end of the cylinder and may bedischarged from either end. In other words, the ram is a double actingram in place of the usual single acting ram, whereby the water may beforced to the press A by the movement of the piston 4c of the engine ineither direction. By this arrangement, I am able to get a multiplicityof pressures in the press cylinder, as I will now describe.

As shown, there are two discharge ports 3 a at the opposite ends of theram cylinder, which communicate with a circulating pipe 20, and from thelatter a pipe 61 extends to the press, and at proper points, as forinstance, in the circulating pipe are arranged check valves 21, 22, thewater being admitted to the opposite ends of the cylinports controlledby check valves 23.

The outer area of the piston 6 is, of course, not limited by the pistonrod 5 like the area of the inner face of the piston, and consequentlywhen the piston 6 moves outward under the operation of the piston 4, theenergy of the latter is distributed over a to the press under a heavierpressure, and by then opening the valve 22 as the piston 6 aga n novesoutward, the volume of water passed to the press is only equal tothatdis-1 placed by the piston rod 5 inasmuch as the portion of water at theouter side of the piston 6 will be carried through the circulating pipe20 back to the cylinder below the piston 6, exceptsuch portion as cannotthus find its way back in consequence of the area occupied by the pistonrod 5. There is therefore a limited quantity of water forced toward thepress at this movement but at a very much higher pressure. I am thusen-.

filled to secure a multiplicity of pressures with the same apparatus,requiring only a mechanical manipulation of the valve 22 under certainconditlons.

Any suitable means may be employed for opening the valve 22 whenrequired; as

shown, there is a lever 30 hearing on the valve stem and connected to ahand lever 31' by a rod 32, the said hand lever 31 arranged adjacent tothe lever 60 upon the press.

Instead of using a single cylinder, I prefer to use a plurality ofcylinders in the press, as thereby I am enabled to make them of smallerdiameter than would otherwise be required and to bring the plungerswithin the lateral limits of the movable platen and am therefore able tomake the latter narrower, which is exceedingly desirable in some formsof compresses not necessary to be here described. To insure the absolutealinement of all of the plungers, which is a matter of utmost importancewhen several are connected together, and also to avoid expense ofconstruction, I form all of the cylinders in a single cylinder block I),cast integral in one piece and properly bored out to form the chambersadapted for the reception of the plungers 40 connected with the movableplaten 41, the lower ends of the chambers being connected by suitablechan nels Z), which, as shown in Fig. 1, are

formed in the block b, with a suitable control valve 0, in the line ofthe pipe 61. This,

control valve as shown, is lifted by a lever 42connected by a rod 43,with an arm upon a hand lever 70 so that when the latter is Copies ofthis patent'may be obtained for manipulated, the valve 0 will beproperly moved to permit the water to pass from the press to the tank D.s

In order to properly connect the cylinder block Z2 with the stationaryplaten 50, the said block is provided with bosses or projections 51, atthe corners and these are recessed for the passage of the tie rods orbolts 52, which connect the block and the stationary platen together.

Either of the platens carries a face block or plate A, which as shown isa detachable platen plate provided with cross channels secured to theface of the movable platen 41. This plate 14, is of such thickness thatwhen the two platens are in contact, the ends of the'plungers will yetbe within the chambers or cylinders. When, however, the plate or block44 is removed, the movable platen may be moved far enough toward theplaten 50 to carry the ends of the plungers out of the cylinders topermit the packings to be inserted or for repairs. lVhile this block isshown as upon the movable platen, it may be upon the stationary platen.

lVithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown, I claim as my invention:

1. The combination in a hydraulic press, with a ram for operating thepress, having a double acting piston in its cylinder and a by-pass pipeconnecting the space on each side of the piston, the bypass beingprovided with automatic check valves, and means for positively operatingone of the check valves for the purpose described.

2. In a press, a ram having a hydraulic cylinder with a double-actingpiston, and a by-pass pipe outside of the cylinder connecting theopposite ends of the cylinder, with two check valves in said by-passpipe and means for positively operating one of the valves.

3. The combination in a hydraulic press, of a hydraulic cylinder, apiston therein, a piston rod extending through one end of the cylinder,discharge pipes from opposite ends of the cylinder connected with thepress and each havmg a check valve closing aga nst back pressure, meansfor positively opening the lower check valve, and a circulating pipeconnecting with discharge pipe s beyond said valves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

/ SAMUEL J. WEBB;

Witnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, WV. CLARENCE DUVALL.

five cents each, by addressingrthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G.

